This is one team Sidney Crosby can't make. The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins still is tied for the scoring lead despite not playing since March 30, but with an average annual salary of $8.7 million, he is not welcome here. This is Sporting News' All-Cap Team.

An NHL dream team would have Crosby on it, for sure. It also would have Alex Ovechkin, and Shea Weber, and Steven Stamkos, and Evgeni Malkin, and hey, that's already more than $50 million against the salary cap. What kind of team could you dream about within the confines of the system? Who are the players providing the best value for average market rates? That is what the All-Cap Team strives to answer, selecting the best players whose salary cap hits are reasonably close to the average charges for given roster spots.

Crosby makes $8.7 million, but the average top center is paid $3 million less than that. Conveniently, John Tavares of the New York Islanders fits the bill at $5.5 million—and he is signed through 2018 in a nice piece of business by Garth Snow, who can boast of having his top two offensive players on this team.

As for the Penguins, they would not be in first place in the Eastern Conference if not for Ray Shero's ability to complement his highly-paid stars with players who provide bang for the buck. Pittsburgh has a league-high three players on the All-Cap Team, which, remember, is not a list of bargains, but a celebration of the players who do the right job for the right price.

Value was determined by taking the four highest-paid players at each forward spot, six defenseman and two goalies on each of the 30 teams, then averaging them slot by slot.

FIRST LINE

Left wing: Chris Kunitz, Pittsburgh Penguins

Cap hit: $3.725 million ($1.03 million below average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2014

Key stat: 50 points, tied for sixth in NHL

What they're saying: “Kunitz is a really tenacious, effective forechecker—as is (Pascal) Dupuis, who usually plays with Kunitz and Crosby—and he is willing to go into the high-traffic areas around the net to set screens, get tips and rebounds. Also very responsible in his own end.”—Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Center: John Tavares, New York Islanders

Cap hit: $5.5 million ($209,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2018

Key stat: 18 even-strength goals, tied for NHL lead

What they're saying: “I knew he was a great player (before joining the Islanders). He's even better playing with him. He's hard-working on the ice, and he gets to all the right spots. He's a great passer, a great shooter, and very creative. It's exciting to play with him. He's a superstar, and I think his best hockey is coming.”—Islanders defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky

Right wing: Jaromir Jagr, Boston Bruins

Cap hit: $4.5 million ($60,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: UFA this summer

Key stat: Nine points in 10 games since trade from Dallas to Boston

What they're saying: “You see how big and how strong and how gifted he is, especially in the offensive zone. Whenever he has the puck, it takes two or three guys from the other team to get it off him. Plus, in the room, having a future Hall of Famer, who's won championships, been around, and seen everything twice, he's a joy to have around. He keeps himself in fantastic shape and he loves the game. That's the most important thing. Sometimes when you get up there in age, you lose that passion. He's still passionate about the game, loves coming to the rink and loves competing.”—Bruins forward Chris Kelly

SECOND LINE

Left wing: Matt Moulson, New York Islanders

Cap hit: $3.133 million ($292,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2014

Key stat: Career high 0.98 points per game

What they're saying: “You give him the puck, he handles it, and he scores. He's a goal scorer. He keeps his game simple, and it's easy to play with him. You know where he's going to be and you know what he's going to do with it—you give it to him, and it's going in the net. It's been a natural fit and a lot of fun (playing on his line). We don't have to force things, it's just been great.”—Islanders right wing Brad Boyes

Center: Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche

Cap hit: $3.5 million ($418,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: RFA in 2014

Key stat: 20:55 ice time per game, nearly three minutes above career average

What they're saying: “The thing I worked on this summer was a lot of conditioning and different types of things to make me better. A lot of it had to do with the way I move—hip flexibility and range of motion. That, in turn, helped my speed a lot and made it even more of a weapon for me. Combine that with a better level of conditioning, and I was able to go harder and longer over the course of a game. That really helped me out.”—Duchene

Right wing: Chris Stewart, St. Louis Blues

Cap hit: $3 million ($569,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: RFA this summer

Key stat: 11 power play points, most on Blues

What they're saying: “He's a force. He's a big, strong guy. There were a few stretches there where he really took the team and was the difference in a lot of games. He does a bit of everything—power plays, skill, and strength.”—former Blues defenseman Wade Redden

THIRD LINE

Left wing: Nazem Kadri, Toronto Maple Leafs

Cap hit: $1.72 million ($96,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: RFA this summer

Key stat: 3.0 penalties drawn per 60 minutes

What they're saying: “"Forget the goals and assists-the Maple Leafs have been afflicted in recent years for not having a homegrown superstar, not having a top centreman and even for something so absurd as not having any Ontario-born players on the roster. In Nazem Kadri, the Leafs found all three. While the point-a-game production is unrealistic going forward, Kadri gave the Leafs a legitimate secondary scoring threat, turned former 30-goal man Nikolai Kulemin back into an offensive player and eased the pressure on Phil Kessel and the first line."—Cam Charron, theleafsnation.com

Center: Andrew Cogliano, Anaheim Ducks

Cap hit: $2.39 million ($10,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2014

Key stat: 11.9 Relative Corsi per 60 minutes, 18th among NHL centers

What they're saying: “His speed is what makes him so good. He's had a real knack for scoring big goals for us this year, and he's really come into his own, which is nice to see. He's a guy you can move up and down the lineup, and no matter who you put him with, he's going to be the same. That's what you need with your third-line guys. He's really easy to play with—he's a straightforward, north-south guy, and he works really hard.”—Ducks winger Daniel Winnik

Right wing: Pascal Dupuis, Pittsburgh Penguins

Cap hit: $1.5 million ($167,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: UFA this summer

Key stat: Third career 20-goal season

What they're saying: “Pascal Dupuis commands respect from everyone on the Penguins because he is selfless, has worked his way from coach Dan Bylsma's doghouse in 2009 to his now regular post as a top-line winger for Sidney Crosby. He means everything to the club in the dressing room. He may mean more on the ice. Dupuis has scored 20 goals each of the last two seasons without playing on the power play, and while playing hard minutes on the penalty kill. He can play either wing on any line, and has become a go-to forward in late-game situations.”—Rob Rossi, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

FOURTH LINE

Left wing: Viktor Stalberg, Chicago Blackhawks

Cap hit: $875,000 ($239,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: UFA this summer

Key stat: 11 of 14 assists have been primary

What they're saying: “He's helped me improve my game, and we've had success together. He's one of our key players. We try to cycle and get pucks on net, and it's worked well for all three of us on the line. We've been playing good hockey.”—Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw

Center: Boyd Gordon, Phoenix Coyotes

Cap hit: $1.325 million ($132,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: UFA this summer

Key stat: 58% faceoff win rate, fifth in NHL

What they're saying: “He's an excellent faceoff man, plays against other teams' top players, is an excellent penalty killer, and a guy coaches rely on because he's smart and does things so well. He's one of those guys that every team has—those unsung heroes, guys that make plays in the guts of the game. It's those little factors that get overlooked on the scoresheet, but help you win.”—Coyotes coach Dave Tippett

What they're saying: “Brendan Gallagher wasn't expected by many to even make the Canadiens roster this season, much less become the goal-crease-dominant crowd favorite he's become. The diminutive 20-year-old's willingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice and take sometimes incredible physical poundings has been an inspiration some nights, a can't-watch train wreck on others. But Gallagher's energy and his goofy grin, which can't be wiped off his face no matter the abuse he takes, have been a cornerstone for the Canadiens this season and the organization expects for years to come.”—Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette

DEFENSE

No. 1: Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks

Cap hit: $5.76 million ($171,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2017

Key stat: 12.8 Relative Corsi while playing mix of defense and forward

What they're saying: “He's a dynamic player. We had great depth on defense, and we needed a spark on offense, and Burnsy came up and was just outstanding, a lot like the impact Dustin Byfuglien had with Chicago. We play a speed game, a north-south game where we try to attack, and he's almost unstoppable with his size and strength. He's got a great shot. He's a game-changer.”—Sharks general manager Doug Wilson

No. 2: Dan Hamhuis, Vancouver Canucks

Cap hit: $4.5 million ($464,000 above average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2016

Key stat: Career high 0.52 points per game and 23:29 average ice time

What they're saying: “Hamhuis' understated two-way mastery often goes unnoticed, but there should be no doubt that he's the heart and soul of a very good defense corps in Vancouver. Beyond the counting stats, he's Vancouver's best defenseman by the possession data even though he faces the toughest matchups on the club, and he leads the Canucks in total ice-time despite being third among Vancouver defenseman in power-play minutes.”—Thomas Drance, canucksarmy.com

No. 3: PK Subban, Montreal Canadiens

Cap hit: $2.875 million ($267,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: RFA in 2014

Key stat: Leads NHL defensemen with 36 points

What they're saying: “It's easy to look at PK Subban's production on the power play to see what kind of impact he has on the Canadiens, combining with Andrei Markov to create a two-headed monster on the opposing blue line. But his influence at even strength may be even greater, where Subban is practically a one-man breakout shedding forecheckers and getting the Canadiens back in the offensive zone more often than not when he's on the ice.”—Arpon Basu, LNH.com

No. 4: Michael Del Zotto, New York Rangers

Cap hit: $2.55 million ($13,000 below average for slot)Contract status: RFA in 2014

Key stat: Leads Rangers with seven power play assists

What they're saying: “Michael Del Zotto's greatest contribution this season was elevating his game, particularly defensively, when the Rangers needed him most: when Marc Staal went down with an eye injury on March 5 against the Flyers. Del Zotto became more physical and disciplined in his extra minutes and played so well that John Tortorella eventually began using him regularly on the top pairing with Dan Girardi.”—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News

No. 5: Matt Niskanen, Pittsburgh Penguins

Cap hit: $2.3 million ($383,000 above average for slot)Contract status: UFA in 2014

Key stat: 12 penalty minutes in 38 games while averaging 20:28

What they're saying: “I think my all-around game has gotten just a little bit better. I felt like I took big strides last year, winning more puck battles and having more confidence with the puck to make better plays. This year, I've been able to build on that, and just get a little bit better in all areas and just be a better defenseman all around.”—Niskanen

No. 6: Patrick Wiercioch, Ottawa Senators

Cap hit: $875,000 ($365,000 below average for slot)

Contact status: RFA this summer

Key stat: Second among rookie defensemen with 19 points

What they're saying: “When Erik Karlsson was injured in mid-February, the big question was: Could the Sens blueliners pick up the offensive slack? Amazingly, the duo of Patrick Wiercioch and Sergei Gonchar provided enough offense in March to make people forget about Karlsson's absence. Wiercioch became a key part of the Sens power play and scored four goals during one six-game stretch in March. He's playing close to 16 minutes a night for a team that has been in the playoff race all season—putting him in the same category as rookies like Dougie Hamilton and Jake Muzzin.”—Ian Mendes, Sportsnet

GOALTENDERS

Starter: Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks

Cap hit: $3.8 million ($190,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: UFA in 2015

Key stat: .931 even-strength save percentage

What they're saying: “Antti is just getting better every day. He was a relatively young goalie when he won the Cup in Chicago (in 2010). When he came to us, he had a couple of injuries that he got taken care of. He's been our best player this year. He's as good as any goalie in the league. The consistency, and the high level that he's played, he's just been tremendous.”—Sharks general manager Doug Wilson

Backup: Jonathan Bernier, Los Angeles Kings

Cap hit: $1.25 million ($155,000 below average for slot)

Contract status: RFA this summer

Key stat: 1.88 goals against average

What they're saying: “Jonathan has been one of our best players. Regardless of how many games he's played, he's given us the confidence that you should have in a goaltender. He's played some big games for us, and played extremely well. I think it gives us extreme confidence to have the security to have two Jonathans (along with Quick) that are, when they're at the top of their game, some of the best in the league. I don't think there's a better tandem than what we have. It's tough keeping two extremely good goaltenders together, but we've been able to do it.”—Kings forward Justin Williams